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Author Topic: Necessary Repotting...aargh!  (Read 9050 times)

John Kirby

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #15 on: October 26, 2011, 08:19 PM »
learn it, or don't. Your trees. John
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Chrisl

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #16 on: October 27, 2011, 12:46 PM »
Oh, believe me John, I've learned!  :(
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coh

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #17 on: October 27, 2011, 03:16 PM »
Quote from: John Kirby on October 24, 2011, 10:59 AM
I was wondering what you would take from this. My suggestion would be to not do dramatic work on trees that you don't really know what their status is. Many demo trees die because they are worked to hard, not too hard for healthy, well established trees, but worked to hard for trees with marginal root and overall health. Personally, I would not have done so much root work on a tree that was just getting ready for a long, cold, winter. But that is just me. Hope that it flourishes for you. John

This topic has come up elsewhere - if it's "out of season" and you discover a tree that has an obvious root/soil problem, what do you do? Seems like you're (John) implying you'd leave it until spring. I've always thought it was better to deal with the problem immediately, especially if it involved the roots. I don't know if I've ever lost a plant due to an out-of-season repotting, but I have definitely lost plants by putting off repotting!

Of course, the best approach is to avoid getting in that position in the first place, as indicated in the first part of your response. Helps to be reminded of that on occasion.

Chris, best of luck with the tree. I will tell you that my chamaecyparis pisifera is also losing some interior and lower branchlets, even though I opened the canopy up quite a bit this summer.  Soil and roots look fine, I think these trees do have a tendency to shed branches even when healthy. I've seen several others locally (bonsai specimens) that are doing the same thing. Guess what I'm saying is, unless you're losing lots of branches, you should be OK...I think!

Chris
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Chrisl

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #18 on: October 27, 2011, 08:32 PM »
Thanks Chris!  I hope you're right.  I'm now tending to agree with you, " I think these trees do have a tendency to shed branches even when healthy."  This weekend, I volunteered at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and worked on a huge forest planting chamaecyparis pisifera bonsai specimen. Cutting back die back. Not a lot, but still....and it is even healthier than mine. 

Luckily, (if that can be said), I'm just loosing some secondary branching right now.  It really needed the repot, and I still stand by my statement, that I should've checked out the roots after buying it.  But it looked healthy, enough so that I thought I could do the work on it.  So for now, I've kept it in the shade, and have it on a heating mat, and another wrapped vertically as it's in this 10"D pot.  Both set to 72 degrees.  It's 41 outside right now and a low of 39....I feel like I've done what I can do.   

And Chris, I too tend to think about loosing more trees to root rot than out of season repots, though just moving to a 'winter state'.  Learned it this last year with a Chinese Elm I delayed needed repotting.  So heck, I'm still learning how to deal with winter for myself, and my trees ;)  I never had a problem repotting any time of the year in N. Cali. lol

Chris

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John Kirby

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #19 on: October 27, 2011, 09:23 PM »
Out of season repots can be successful if after care is appropriate. I think the concept of slip potting up into a rapidly draining medium, followed with a good spring repotting is very effective. But since this tree will be protected from freezing, I am sure that it will do fine.

Cheers.
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Owen Reich

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #20 on: October 28, 2011, 10:22 AM »
One thing to consider with that cultivar of Chamaecyparis is that it is like candy for mites.  They do naturally shed interior shoots as mentioned earlier but be on the lookout for mites.  Sounds like the tree found a loving home with all the heat mats  ;D.
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Chrisl

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #21 on: October 28, 2011, 11:21 AM »
So John, are you suggesting that all the trees I put in the greenhouse this winter, I keep above 32 degrees, but less than 40 to keep them dormant?  I would love some advice about managing winter greenhouse temps.

Owen, Thanks for the warning on spider mites.  That is one disease I've yet not had the honor of having yet here in IL....black spot mold/yes, powdery mildew/ yes, root rot/yes, needlecast/yes, and strangely, ants too...but not yet mites!  ;D  I'm going to for the first time to give all my trees a 10% lime sulfur spray after they enter dormancy.  I'll see how that goes as a preventative.

Btw, I'm planning on keeping this in the shade and on the mats for a total of 10-14 days before putting it back out in the sun (and perhaps leave it on the heating mat).  Does this sound like a reasonable plan? 

Thanks to all for sharing their experiences.  I truly appreciated it!!
Chris
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Chrisl

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #22 on: November 02, 2011, 11:36 AM »
Anyone with advice on how long I should keep the roots warm at 72?  Does 10-14 dys sound too long to let the plant start the dormancy period?
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Judy

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #23 on: November 02, 2011, 12:29 PM »
How is the tree responding?  If it has stabilized, then I'd give it another week or so to be sure, then wean it off.  Then I'd just keep it in a cold greenhouse over this coming winter. 
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Chrisl

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #24 on: November 02, 2011, 07:40 PM »
I think I've gotten some stability to the plant now.  I've kept it watered well and misting it, I try for 2X/dy. 
I too was thinking about beginning weaning it off the mats in a week or so, and get ready for a long winter.  (Just finished getting my first greenhouse finished today btw! lol)

Thanks for the help Judy,
Chris
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Chrisl

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #25 on: November 10, 2011, 12:13 PM »
I've now got it in semi shade, mats down to the lowest setting for 2 days.  No more dying branches!!  Yes!  I'll leave it here for another 3 days and then get rid of the mats and put it back in full sun....which there isn't too much of right now anyway lol

Thanks everyone for the help and support!
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scottroxburgh

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #26 on: November 10, 2011, 08:49 PM »
Peter recently posted a great write up on repotting an unhealthy shimpaku. A good deal of detail on what can be done in this sort of situation.

As always, a good read...
http://peterteabonsai.wordpress.com/2011/11/10/shimpaku-health/
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Chrisl

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #27 on: November 10, 2011, 10:51 PM »
Excellent read Scott, Thanks!  I learned quite a bit.
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Chrisl

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Re: Necessary Repotting...aargh!
« Reply #28 on: November 21, 2011, 07:47 PM »
Just an update.  The tree is looking great with no further die back.  I dodged a bullet here lol
Thanks for everyone's help!
Chris
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